This invention relates to a rotatable electrical connector arrangement for the secure, snag free interlocking of the socket or female end member of an electrical power extension cord, to the plug or male end member of an electrical power implement, or to any related device having a male plug member affixed to its power cord.
Power extension cords are often necessary in order to be able to transmit electricity from a conventional electrical power outlet to a distant implement, thereby providing the implement with a source of electricity even when it is used at locations remote from the outlet.
A common problem experienced by construction workers, for example, and particularly those using electrical power tools served by long extension cords, is the inadvertent uncoupling of socket and plug members. Such uncoupling most usually results from tensioning of the cord while a cord segment is temporarily held by an obstruction of one sort or another. The workman, in an attempt to release the cord, pulls upon the cord, resulting in the uncoupling of the socket and plug, whereupon work time is subsequently lost in recoupling same. Where a workman, such as a carpenter, is using a power tool in a multi-floor structure, such uncoupling can be particularly troublesome and time consuming.
Because of the nature of such implements and the necessity of remote use, it is essential that they be able to be moved from one location to another, or in other words, possess a degree of mobility. The necessity for this mobility aspect of the implement frequently presents problems relating to the maintenance of continuous and secure connection of the implement to the power transmission cord.
Prior designs have attempted to solve this problem in a number of ways. All proffered solutions to date, however, have had a number of inherent disadvantages.
In recent years, many arrangements have been proposed for preventing accidental separation of a coupled socket and plug, and a drawback to most such arrangements is their complexity, resulting in a high cost of manufacture, as well as awkward installation of the plug and socket. An additional drawback to known socket and plug harnesses is their restricted adaptability to only a very limited range of socket and plug combinations.
Other prior art arrangements have involved socket and plug members that are intended to be twisted together in order to effectively resist separation, with the members not being separable until they are twisted back in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, however, another person coming upon this type of device will usually not realize that twisting of one member with respect to the other is necessary for separation of the members, and he will therefore encounter quite a frustration.
The Healy Pat. No. 2,487,801 entitled "Connector Clamp"exemplifies a complex way of going about enabling male and female electrical components to be locked together. It will be noted that Healy utilizes a very involved construction, entailing numerous separate parts and too many pivot points. It is most important to observe that the toggle link ends of Healy protrude beyond the female end of the device when male and female parts have been separated, with the inventor having made no provision for stowing the toggle link ends in out-of-the-way locations.
It is significant to note that the Healy "plug" is not usable with an unlike mating part, for his very restrictive design requires a specific socket arrangement.
It is therefore to be seen that it is most desirable to employ socket and plugs utilizing relatively inexpensive components, having clean lines and arranged such as to avoid snagging on protruding objects, with the male and female components each being able to be utilized with standard connectors.
The Tillotson Patent No. 4,204,738 entitled "Electrical Connector Retaining Device" utilizes a wire "bail" on the male member which, most unfortunately, cannot be stowed in an out-of-the-way position when not in use. This is not the only unfortunate characteristic of the Tillotson device, for the hood used around the male connector prevents the user from installing the male connector in a conventional wall outlet. In other words, the Tillotson device's hood severely limits the applicability of this arrangement, meaning that it probably can only be used on the handle of some relatively large electrical device, such as a weed wacker. If used on a hand tool such as an electric saw, drill, sander or polisher, this teaching would result in an unwieldy and bulky device that would be rejected by most users.
It was to overcome these and other such disadvantages of the prior art that the instant invention was evolved.